The Better Life
by Rise of Phoenix
Summary: A not so typical Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts for his 5th year. OCC ahead, Harry Potter in a darker perspective.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter Sirius wouldn't be dead, so there.  
  
This being my first fic that I have published, I do ask you to be considerate. on second thought, f to that, do whatever you want. Flames are welcome; I'll just laugh at you.  
  
Also, I hold great respect for authors that have already published works. See my favorite stories page when I get it up; these stories want to make me vomit (in a good way). If I write anything that you have, please email me so I can give credit where it is due. Thank you.  
  
A simple warning to the lot of you, let it be known to the masses that there shall be out of character people. This is going to be an AUish type thing, I hated book five so I'm going to start my shizzle off from the end of 4th year. If you have a problem with me going against the book, that's just to bad; find another story that floats your boat.  
-Greg Poyar (Rise of Phoenix) Righto then, let's get this show on the road.  
  
The Better Life  
  
Lightning flashed again among the tidal wave of rain that poured down. All of the people on Privet Drive were indoors, warming up by the fire or taking warm showers. All except one; a pale, skinny, black haired boy was still outside of Number 4 Privet Drive.  
  
Although normal to most people's view, only a little on the skinny side, the boy was anything but normal. This boy was Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, and at the moment he was The Boy Who Had Yet To Finish His Chores. Soaking wet, his raven black hair plastered to his face, he weeded the garden of Number 4 in a daze.  
  
Long ago had this sort of manual labor such as weeding the garden or washing the dishes become second nature to him, he could do it in his sleep. What was keeping him from finishing his task and going inside to his only still living family, the Dursleys, was what had happened last year at his school.  
  
Now you have to see, Harold James Potter wasn't a 'normal' person per say. Harry Potter was a wizard, and quite a strong one at that. He had barley escaped with his life 13 years ago when a powerful dark wizard know to the wizarding public as Lord Voldemort. Voldemort's rise to power had been swift and brutal, murdering all opposition in his quest for supreme power. Among the dead were Lily and James Potter, a powerful couple of a witch and wizard.  
  
James Potter, who had been betrayed by his school friend Peter Pettigrew, had gone down fighting the Dark Lord, trying to buy his family the time they needed to escape with their lives. He had failed, and Voldemort turned his attention to the baby that was Harry Potter. Lily, pleading with Voldemort for her son's life had been the next to fall.  
  
This is where the story grew inconsistent, when the Dark Lord, who had been killing people for years upon years turned his wand upon the one year old Harry, his spell backfired, ripping Voldemort from his body and leaving him as nothing more than a spirit. Some would say that Harry Potter had massive Dark powers and Voldemort was trying to off his successor, others would say that Harry was protected by his mother's sacrifice, a powerful ancient magic. Regardless of what anyone said, though, the fact remained that Harry Potter, at the age of one, had accomplished what many full grown wizards had been trying to do for years: destroy Voldemort and save all of Europe from his power.  
  
Needless to say, from that moment on, Harry Potter was famous; not that he knew it. He was taken to his relatives, the Dursleys by Rubeus Hagrid, under the supervision of Albus Dumbledore. For the next ten years of his life, he would be belittled and rejected by his relatives, and everyone else. Dudley Dursley saw to that, Harry never did make any friends, everyone was to afraid of Dudley and his gang to hang out with the weird Harry Potter.  
  
At the age of eleven everything changed; Harry had found out that he was a wizard and had gone to the most prestigious school for witchcraft and wizardry in all of Europe: Hogwarts. To say that he was happy would be the biggest understatement of this century. Over the next three years The Boy Who Lived would face a risen Voldemort two more times, as well as one of his servants, who were called Death Eaters. On top of that he became the youngest Seeker in a century.  
  
Then came his fourth year of Hogwarts. A disastrous year which found him placed in a competition with other European schools to determine which school was better at the moment: The Triwizard Tournament. The end result of the Tournament was what was troubling Harry Potter at the moment; in the Third and final Task that the participants had to undergo had resulted in the death of his fellow Hogwarts Champion and the resurrection of Lord Voldemort. Voldemort wasn't what was troubling the teenager at the moment though, it was the haunting grey eyes of Cedric Diggory.  
  
Finally finishing the appointed task, Harry, soaked to the bone and freezing cold, meandered (God I love that word, meandering is a way of life) his way into Number 4 Privet Drive. Walking into the kitchen to find some food, the large, purple face of Vernon Dursley came into view, obviously not happy to have his perfect kitchen soiled by a 'freak.' Harry's aunt, Petunia, walked into the kitchen and let out a high pitched squeal upon seeing her almost to clean kitchen suddenly filled with mud.  
  
"You abnormal freak; didn't we teach you better than to track your filth inside the house? After all we've done for you this is how you repay us?"  
  
Harry, in one of his more melancholy moods today, just raised an eyebrow and went up the stairs to take a shower. Feeling slightly sadistic for a moment, he wondered what would happen if he cursed the Dursleys to be dirty forever. Still chuckling at the thought of perfect Petunia Dursley always smelling as if she just walked out of the trash, he stepped into the shower.  
  
The next moment, his thoughts turned solemn; he needed to pull his head out of his ass. This year when Voldemort struck, which he undoubtedly would, he would be ready. Harry had gotten over the death of Cedric, but he'd be damned if he let anyone else die around him. The only problem was the Dursleys; he couldn't do anything the even resembled magic around them.  
  
'What I need to do it get away from them somehow,' Harry thought 'I could run away without magic. that could work, if no one knew I was gone, they couldn't take me back to here. Hmm. even if I did get out, where would I go?'  
  
The Weasleys were out, they'd just hand him back over to Dumbledore, and he end up back here with more surveillance. Basically anyone who he knew would give him back to Dumbledore; he needed to go somewhere where he could practice his magic without any repercussions, and somehow make sure that no one would recognize him. Not for the first time in his life, he wondered by Dumbledore had put him in this house; sure it was powerful blood magic that protected him from Voldemort while he was here, but what did that matter if his relatives killed him for being a 'freak' as they had threatened before.  
  
'Diagon Alley could work, I suppose. I would have to stop in Muggle London and change the way I look, not to mention cover up this God forsaken scar.'  
  
Contrary to popular belief, Harry Potter hated who he was. While most would love to be one of the most famous wizards of the age, every time Harry saw someone gaping at him, he would like nothing more than to just punch that person in the face. He hated how people admired him for something that wasn't even conscious thought, hell, he didn't understand what he did to vanquish the Dark Lord, he was one at the time. People liked Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, not the person that he was. Everyone in the wizard world looked to him to be their savior; but he would rather be just another average kid. Fate was cruel though, and put Harry were he was now; admired by the wizarding community under false pretense, and looked down upon by the only muggles he really knew because of his magical lineage.  
  
What this Harry Potter wanted more than anything was to get away from his life for a while. Not be the savior of the wizarding community for once, just be himself. Then again if he pulled this off correctly, he'd just be another face in the crowd this summer, no Dursleys, no looks of ridiculous admiration, he could just be there.  
  
This summer was looking better already.  
  
There you go, the first chapter is done. Yes I know it's boring, but hey, I had to give some background and set up the rest of the story. Reviews and thoughts as where you'd like this story to go are always welcome, just email or instant message me (both of my screen names are on my profile). Reviews are always welcome, and as this is my first story, I don't really expect that much to come from it. The second chapter will probably be done by the time this one is up; my internet is being a pirate at the moment and not working.  
  
One of the best parts of my life is God. I'm a Christian, and proud to be one, I enjoy talking about faith in general so if you ever have a hankering to talk to someone about aspects of that matter, I'm usually on AIM; give me a ring.  
  
Thanks for reading my stuff Rise of Phoenix  
  
Psalm 145: 17  
'The Lord is my strength and my shield;  
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;  
Therefore my heart exults,  
And with my song I shall thank Him.  
  
Totally sweet. I'll talk to you people later. 


	2. Chpt 2

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Harry Potter, I'd be so loaded it wouldn't even be funny. but I don't. but I can always dream right?  
  
I'm big on angst stories, if you're looking for a good one, check out Faith by Dragongirl16 its rad. I definitely recommend it even though it is slash.  
  
If you didn't already guess it, I have no life whatsoever. Me, like millions of other Americans, has no future, so I might as well make good the present. With that said, on to the story.  
  
The Better Life  
  
A pale man sat upon the high seat of a large hall. His billowing black robes accented by snake-like appearance quite well. Glowing red eyes surveyed the men in front of him with distain.  
  
"FOOLS! You have failed me yet again!"  
  
Voldemort was angry; and an angry Voldemort is like waving an automatic gun around with the safety off, not a good thing to have. A shutter swept through the Death Eaters that were prostrated before their master. Everyone present knew that his confrontation wouldn't end well, nothing that displeased the Dark Lord ever did.  
  
"You claim you undying loyalty to me, yet you cannot even do a simple task assigned to you, pathetic. Lucius, step forward my slippery friend.'  
  
Lucius Malfoy stepped out of the mob of Death Eaters, his graceful stride showed him as the powerful aristocrat that he was. But even the elder Malfoy found the Dark Lord Voldemort quite terrifying, around the Dark Lord, all the power he had accumulated meant nothing whatsoever. Here he was powerless and without allies, even his fellow Death Eaters would turn on him at Voldemort's command. Voldemort's gaze bore into him as he bowed before his master.  
  
Breaking the silence, Voldemort whispered "Crucio," and suddenly the graveyard in which the meeting was taking place in was filled with screams of agony.  
  
Finally ending the spell Voldemort said "Get up Malfoy; you have brought this pain upon yourself. When I tell you to find where the Potter boy lives, you will do as commanded. As for the rest of you, someone will find where Potter lives," giving an almost insane grin he continued "trust me when I say not to fail, you will not like the consequences."  
  
Silence fell upon the meeting again as Lucius shakily got to his feet and rejoined the circle. Basking in their fear Voldemort let the silence continue horribly until a timid voice broke the silence.  
  
"My Lord, I may know where the Potter boy lives," out of the circle cane Wormtail, looking as pathetic as usual and not seeming to enjoy the fact that he was back in the fold of the Death Eaters. All eyes in the graveyard swung immediately to were the small man stood.  
  
"Where might we find Potter, Wormtail? Speak quickly before I punish you for your insolence."  
  
"Well, I do remember once, when I was with James," the Dark Lord's red eyes flashed at the mention of anything relating to the Potters, "he mentioned that Lily had relatives somewhere in Surry... What street was it again? Private? Ah yes, Privet Drive."  
  
Quite contrary to the beginning of the meeting, which had been somber, Lord Voldemort was ecstatic, very few had ever seen him this happy or exited, and an even smaller minority lived to tell about it.  
  
"My followers this is a great day indeed! We shall smite down the hero of the Light, all that is good and pure shall fall before us. Without their precious savior the Light will fall, and a new order will arise from the ashes. Tomorrow is the day we will strike; Harry Potter shall be no more. Lucius, you will lead this strike, take whoever you need; do not fail me, should you fail, your own life is forfeit. Tomorrow night."  
  
The sound of apparating wizards and witches filled the graveyard.  
  
Meanwhile, in a not so far away place, the said boy, Harry Potter awoke in a cold sweat. Thinking quickly, he snatched a spare piece of parchment and a quill and wrote down all that he remembered of his dream. Once confidante that he had gotten everything that was important down on the parchment, he allowed himself to actually think about what he had witnessed.  
  
Voldemort was coming to kill him; nothing new about that. The difference was that he knew where he was, and how to get him. That meant that he had to be out of this house before the Dursleys woke up. For a moment he considered his relatives; should he warn them of the coming danger or not? Smirking slightly, Harry decided, no, he wouldn't tell his relatives that Lord Voldemort was coming to kill them; they had never done anything for them, so why should he give them anything?  
  
Looking at his clock, one of the few things that he had been able to salvage from Dudley's rampages, he saw that it was 4 in the morning. Deciding that now was as good of a time as any, he set about getting all of his things from the small bedroom, first starting with the loose floorboard. That only took a pathetic 15 minutes to do, leaving him with about two hours until he absolutely had to be gone. Grabbing all of his things he cautiously made his way down the stairs to the cupboard that had served as his bedroom for 10 years.  
  
Luckily Harry had taken it upon himself to learn the fine art of lock- picking from the twins, so opening the cupboard was no problem. Hoisting his trunk with a grunt, and tucking Hedwig's cage under his arm (he wasn't quite sure where she was at the moment) Harry made his way out of the house toward the street. Looking around nervously, to see if anyone was watching, he pulled out his wand and signaled the Knight Bus. After a few tense moments of waiting, the double decker bus appeared in front of him with a loud 'Bang.'  
  
The doors opened to reveal that Stan and Ernie were still working there, and despite looking dead on their feet, beamed happily when they saw who their newest arrival was. Favoring the conductors with a small smile, Harry politely asked how much money it was to get to Diagon Alley, paid his gold, and sat down on his bed. With another loud 'Bang' they were off again, and Harry Potter left the place he had spent the first 14 years of his life calling 'home.'  
  
He never looked back.  
  
As my internet is being a pirate, I'm just going to make this chapter longer. I HATE YOU VERISON DSL!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Upon reaching his destination of Diagon Alley, he got Stan to help him unload his things and they made their way into the Leaky Cauldron. It was still was almost painfully empty, it only being about 6:30 in the morning, but still Harry managed to spot Tom behind the bar, getting breakfast ready for the patrons. Calling out to Tom and waving him over, the elderly man strode over to where Harry was standing.  
  
Tom grinning broadly with a look of recognition said "Why Mr. Potter, I wasn't expecting to see you around here for another month or so. What a pleasant surprise! How can I help you today?"  
  
Harry, who was still happy of the fact he would never have to spend another day at the Dursleys, gave Tom a big grin of his own. He happened to like Tom a lot; he never asked to many questions, he understood others needs for privacy. Still smiling Harry replied "I need a room Tom, how much will it cost for the rest of the summer?"  
  
Without missing a beat, Tom replied "The total will be 30 Galleons and 13 Sickles Mr. Potter, that's about half a Galleon a night. Now if you'll follow me, I'll show you to your room."  
  
Harry followed Tom silently up the stairs to his room, which just happened to be the same one as he had in the summer before his third year. Setting his trunk down by the bedside, Harry turned to Tom, who was about to go back downstairs to finish the preparations for breakfast. Spotting him leaving, Harry quickly said "I would appreciate it if you told no one that I'm here Tom, I will inform the people that need to know as soon as I see fit."  
  
Tom gave him a slightly measuring look, but eventually smiled and nodded, and continued down the stairs. Turning back to inspect his room once Tom had left, Harry felt an emotion we like to call elation, he never really had the chance to do what he wanted with his time. Now he did have time, almost two months, and he was going to make the most of it. But first, he was going to lie down in that comfortable bed over there and sleep for a couple hours.  
  
Yes I know I haven't updated in like 2 weeks or so. What can I say; I'm the laziest person I know, not to mention that I can procrastinate with the best of them. I do plan to update faster this time around, I've got all the setting crap put in place, now I can spend less time doing that, and more time coming up with fun stuff. That being said, I'll see you later.  
  
"Blessed be God,  
Who has not turned away my prayer  
Nor His lovingkindness from me."  
Psalm 66:20  
  
I'm going to have that verse on my tombstone when I die. Random? Yes.  
Totally sweet? Undoubtedly. 


	3. Chpt 2

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Harry Potter, I'd be so loaded it wouldn't even be funny. but I don't. but I can always dream right?  
  
I'm big on angst stories, if you're looking for a good one, check out Faith by Dragongirl16 its rad. I definitely recommend it even though it is slash.  
  
If you didn't already guess it, I have no life whatsoever. Me, like millions of other Americans, has no future, so I might as well make good the present. With that said, on to the story.  
  
The Better Life  
  
A pale man sat upon the high seat of a large hall. His billowing black robes accented by snake-like appearance quite well. Glowing red eyes surveyed the men in front of him with distain.  
  
"FOOLS! You have failed me yet again!"  
  
Voldemort was angry; and an angry Voldemort is like waving an automatic gun around with the safety off, not a good thing to have. A shutter swept through the Death Eaters that were prostrated before their master. Everyone present knew that his confrontation wouldn't end well, nothing that displeased the Dark Lord ever did.  
  
"You claim you undying loyalty to me, yet you cannot even do a simple task assigned to you, pathetic. Lucius, step forward my slippery friend.'  
  
Lucius Malfoy stepped out of the mob of Death Eaters, his graceful stride showed him as the powerful aristocrat that he was. But even the elder Malfoy found the Dark Lord Voldemort quite terrifying, around the Dark Lord, all the power he had accumulated meant nothing whatsoever. Here he was powerless and without allies, even his fellow Death Eaters would turn on him at Voldemort's command. Voldemort's gaze bore into him as he bowed before his master.  
  
Breaking the silence, Voldemort whispered "Crucio," and suddenly the graveyard in which the meeting was taking place in was filled with screams of agony.  
  
Finally ending the spell Voldemort said "Get up Malfoy; you have brought this pain upon yourself. When I tell you to find where the Potter boy lives, you will do as commanded. As for the rest of you, someone will find where Potter lives," giving an almost insane grin he continued "trust me when I say not to fail, you will not like the consequences."  
  
Silence fell upon the meeting again as Lucius shakily got to his feet and rejoined the circle. Basking in their fear Voldemort let the silence continue horribly until a timid voice broke the silence.  
  
"My Lord, I may know where the Potter boy lives," out of the circle cane Wormtail, looking as pathetic as usual and not seeming to enjoy the fact that he was back in the fold of the Death Eaters. All eyes in the graveyard swung immediately to were the small man stood.  
  
"Where might we find Potter, Wormtail? Speak quickly before I punish you for your insolence."  
  
"Well, I do remember once, when I was with James," the Dark Lord's red eyes flashed at the mention of anything relating to the Potters, "he mentioned that Lily had relatives somewhere in Surry... What street was it again? Private? Ah yes, Privet Drive."  
  
Quite contrary to the beginning of the meeting, which had been somber, Lord Voldemort was ecstatic, very few had ever seen him this happy or exited, and an even smaller minority lived to tell about it.  
  
"My followers this is a great day indeed! We shall smite down the hero of the Light, all that is good and pure shall fall before us. Without their precious savior the Light will fall, and a new order will arise from the ashes. Tomorrow is the day we will strike; Harry Potter shall be no more. Lucius, you will lead this strike, take whoever you need; do not fail me, should you fail, your own life is forfeit. Tomorrow night."  
  
The sound of apparating wizards and witches filled the graveyard.  
  
Meanwhile, in a not so far away place, the said boy, Harry Potter awoke in a cold sweat. Thinking quickly, he snatched a spare piece of parchment and a quill and wrote down all that he remembered of his dream. Once confidante that he had gotten everything that was important down on the parchment, he allowed himself to actually think about what he had witnessed.  
  
Voldemort was coming to kill him; nothing new about that. The difference was that he knew where he was, and how to get him. That meant that he had to be out of this house before the Dursleys woke up. For a moment he considered his relatives; should he warn them of the coming danger or not? Smirking slightly, Harry decided, no, he wouldn't tell his relatives that Lord Voldemort was coming to kill them; they had never done anything for them, so why should he give them anything?  
  
Looking at his clock, one of the few things that he had been able to salvage from Dudley's rampages, he saw that it was 4 in the morning. Deciding that now was as good of a time as any, he set about getting all of his things from the small bedroom, first starting with the loose floorboard. That only took a pathetic 15 minutes to do, leaving him with about two hours until he absolutely had to be gone. Grabbing all of his things he cautiously made his way down the stairs to the cupboard that had served as his bedroom for 10 years.  
  
Luckily Harry had taken it upon himself to learn the fine art of lock- picking from the twins, so opening the cupboard was no problem. Hoisting his trunk with a grunt, and tucking Hedwig's cage under his arm (he wasn't quite sure where she was at the moment) Harry made his way out of the house toward the street. Looking around nervously, to see if anyone was watching, he pulled out his wand and signaled the Knight Bus. After a few tense moments of waiting, the double decker bus appeared in front of him with a loud 'Bang.'  
  
The doors opened to reveal that Stan and Ernie were still working there, and despite looking dead on their feet, beamed happily when they saw who their newest arrival was. Favoring the conductors with a small smile, Harry politely asked how much money it was to get to Diagon Alley, paid his gold, and sat down on his bed. With another loud 'Bang' they were off again, and Harry Potter left the place he had spent the first 14 years of his life calling 'home.'  
  
He never looked back.  
  
As my internet is being a pirate, I'm just going to make this chapter longer. I HATE YOU VERISON DSL!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Upon reaching his destination of Diagon Alley, he got Stan to help him unload his things and they made their way into the Leaky Cauldron. It was still was almost painfully empty, it only being about 6:30 in the morning, but still Harry managed to spot Tom behind the bar, getting breakfast ready for the patrons. Calling out to Tom and waving him over, the elderly man strode over to where Harry was standing.  
  
Tom grinning broadly with a look of recognition said "Why Mr. Potter, I wasn't expecting to see you around here for another month or so. What a pleasant surprise! How can I help you today?"  
  
Harry, who was still happy of the fact he would never have to spend another day at the Dursleys, gave Tom a big grin of his own. He happened to like Tom a lot; he never asked to many questions, he understood others needs for privacy. Still smiling Harry replied "I need a room Tom, how much will it cost for the rest of the summer?"  
  
Without missing a beat, Tom replied "The total will be 30 Galleons and 13 Sickles Mr. Potter, that's about half a Galleon a night. Now if you'll follow me, I'll show you to your room."  
  
Harry followed Tom silently up the stairs to his room, which just happened to be the same one as he had in the summer before his third year. Setting his trunk down by the bedside, Harry turned to Tom, who was about to go back downstairs to finish the preparations for breakfast. Spotting him leaving, Harry quickly said "I would appreciate it if you told no one that I'm here Tom, I will inform the people that need to know as soon as I see fit."  
  
Tom gave him a slightly measuring look, but eventually smiled and nodded, and continued down the stairs. Turning back to inspect his room once Tom had left, Harry felt an emotion we like to call elation, he never really had the chance to do what he wanted with his time. Now he did have time, almost two months, and he was going to make the most of it. But first, he was going to lie down in that comfortable bed over there and sleep for a couple hours.  
  
Yes I know I haven't updated in like 2 weeks or so. What can I say; I'm the laziest person I know, not to mention that I can procrastinate with the best of them. I do plan to update faster this time around, I've got all the setting crap put in place, now I can spend less time doing that, and more time coming up with fun stuff. That being said, I'll see you later.  
  
"Blessed be God,  
Who has not turned away my prayer  
Nor His lovingkindness from me."  
Psalm 66:20  
  
I'm going to have that verse on my tombstone when I die. Random? Yes.  
Totally sweet? Undoubtedly. 


End file.
